High paying jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC run 2.1% below the national average (2024), so a Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC salary is worth about 1.02× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

OccupationMedian, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$108,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,780 – $175,120630
2Surgical Assistants$99,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,670 – $126,560270
3Dental Hygienists$98,890
Associate's degree
$93,630 – $105,730940
4First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$97,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,120 – $135,010590
5Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,870
Associate's degree
$59,290 – $131,2101,430
6Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,690 – $160,410460
7First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$91,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,880 – $152,1401,450
8First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$87,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,090 – $121,520730
9Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$86,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,560 – $130,1902,050
10Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,630
Associate's degree
$75,620 – $104,770370
11Ship Engineers$82,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,420 – $149,1701,420
12Home Appliance Repairers$81,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,860 – $93,790320
13Respiratory Therapists$80,990
Associate's degree
$66,270 – $102,100710
14First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$80,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,110 – $99,5106,140
15Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$80,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,410 – $106,480650
16First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$80,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,060 – $96,420290
17First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,890 – $112,0103,360
18First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,150 – $117,7302,510
19Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$78,540
Associate's degree
$43,640 – $107,340570
20Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$78,100
Associate's degree
$39,300 – $118,170610
21Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,290
Associate's degree
$59,930 – $97,4501,050
22Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$76,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $78,120530
23Physical Therapist Assistants$73,300
Associate's degree
$51,700 – $82,000790
24Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$72,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,320 – $92,060500
25Crane and Tower Operators$71,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,430 – $87,400430
26Real Estate Brokers$70,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $170,240390
27Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$68,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $100,520420
28Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$68,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,020 – $100,3901,380
29Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers$67,790
Associate's degree
$57,990 – $82,490280
30Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$67,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,920 – $101,4601,140
31Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$67,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,650 – $93,850770
32Occupational Therapy Assistants$65,730
Associate's degree
$57,740 – $81,260300
33Maintenance Workers, Machinery$65,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,670 – $95,300540
34Surgical Technologists$65,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,540 – $94,000420
35Food Service Managers$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,520 – $94,160950
36Construction and Building Inspectors$64,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,810 – $91,2301,260
37Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,810 – $89,6601,680
38Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$64,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $96,750580
39Riggers$64,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,160 – $76,5401,350
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,230 – $77,3203,410
41Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$64,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,590 – $80,740950
42Paramedics$64,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,360 – $77,280400
43Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$64,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,500 – $132,6401,190
44First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$63,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,240 – $100,7906,850
45Sheet Metal Workers$63,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $73,7002,080
46Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$63,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,650 – $96,7602,920
47Real Estate Sales Agents$62,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,750 – $109,8901,140
48Machinists$62,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,880 – $76,5402,350
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,820
Associate's degree
$44,340 – $80,220380
50Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,510 – $78,1803,740

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,430	$73,780 – $175,120	630
2	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,530	$50,670 – $126,560	270
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,890	$93,630 – $105,730	940
4	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,200	$68,120 – $135,010	590
5	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,870	$59,290 – $131,210	1,430
6	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,790	$54,690 – $160,410	460
7	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,080	$45,880 – $152,140	1,450
8	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,530	$61,090 – $121,520	730
9	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,940	$54,560 – $130,190	2,050
10	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,630	$75,620 – $104,770	370
11	Ship EngineersPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,370	$47,420 – $149,170	1,420
12	Home Appliance RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,000	$47,860 – $93,790	320
13	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,990	$66,270 – $102,100	710
14	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,950	$55,110 – $99,510	6,140
15	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,450	$58,410 – $106,480	650
16	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,260	$55,060 – $96,420	290
17	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,660	$48,890 – $112,010	3,360
18	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,620	$43,150 – $117,730	2,510
19	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$78,540	$43,640 – $107,340	570
20	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,100	$39,300 – $118,170	610
21	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,290	$59,930 – $97,450	1,050
22	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,350	$38,000 – $78,120	530
23	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,300	$51,700 – $82,000	790
24	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,380	$49,320 – $92,060	500
25	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,400	$53,430 – $87,400	430
26	Real Estate BrokersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,800	$43,960 – $170,240	390
27	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,350	$49,170 – $100,520	420
28	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,290	$49,020 – $100,390	1,380
29	Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and RepairersAssociate's degree	$67,790	$57,990 – $82,490	280
30	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,620	$48,920 – $101,460	1,140
31	Layout Workers, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,540	$44,650 – $93,850	770
32	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,730	$57,740 – $81,260	300
33	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,500	$51,670 – $95,300	540
34	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,370	$39,540 – $94,000	420
35	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$50,520 – $94,160	950
36	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,710	$49,810 – $91,230	1,260
37	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,620	$46,810 – $89,660	1,680
38	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,490	$43,960 – $96,750	580
39	RiggersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,440	$49,160 – $76,540	1,350
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,370	$51,230 – $77,320	3,410
41	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,260	$45,590 – $80,740	950
42	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,120	$47,360 – $77,280	400
43	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,100	$43,500 – $132,640	1,190
44	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,970	$44,240 – $100,790	6,850
45	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,390	$38,090 – $73,700	2,080
46	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,240	$44,650 – $96,760	2,920
47	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,940	$36,750 – $109,890	1,140
48	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,900	$48,880 – $76,540	2,350
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,820	$44,340 – $80,220	380
50	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,670	$46,510 – $78,180	3,740

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC that need no degree

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